Recalls childhood after her parents divorced. Describes members of the family, and family run shop. Talks about an aunt's involvement in the trade unions. Recalls St Alban's church being built and attending Sunday School. Mentions British soldiers...

Recalls the First World War, particularly soldiers on leave being reluctant to return to the front, rationing and horses being taken for the war effort. Talks about men suffering the effects of gas and shell shock and the influenza epidemics. Talks...

Recalls work as a traveling companion, visiting Germany in 1938 at the time of the Munich crisis. Continues by describing life in New Zealand working as a home help/domestic servant on a farm near Wellington. Describes leaving this job and...

Recalls early family life in Leicester and Coventry. Describes seeing Queen Victoria on a visit to Coventry. Talks about father's work and her own work as a hosiery winder in Barrow on Soar then at Crown Tam Mills in Leicester, before working for...

Work; War; Family; World War I; World War II; Shopping; Food; Holidays;

Recalls her education in Leicester between the wars. Describes in detail a small private school she attended with her sister in Stretton Road, run by two ladies. Continues by recalling her education at Hinckley Road Elementary school and then King...

Recalls briefly early life before joining the Metropolitan Police Force in 1931. Gives description of training at Hendon Police College and fast track to Probationary Inspector within three years. Talks about his move to Leicestershire, describing...

Recalls joining the police force in Leicester in 1935. Describes the ' beat box' system, methods of signaling, discipline and pay in the police force. Talks about the poverty in Leicester. Describes policing during the Second World War, shortage of...

Recalls her childhood in Aylestone and Belgrave and some major events that happened. Recalls her grandfather and the lack of state welfare for the elderly and sick. Recalls the introduction of the old age pension in 1908 and the end of the First...

Joint interview with husband and wife. Mr Mitchelson recalls moving from Bourne in Lincolnshire to Leicester to find work. Describes the poverty he experienced as a child after his father was killed during the First World War, including ' living...

Recalls childhood in Leicester, including attending a playschool in Belgrave Road. Talks about her father not having to fight during the First World War and Belgian refugees. Mentions starting work as an office junior. Describes fear of air raids,...

Recalls Aylestone in the 1930s, mentions Aylestone House and the Japanese Tea gardens. Describes becoming owner of the Boat House at Aylestone in 1935 and how he developed the enterprise. Mentions requisitioning of the Boat House early in the...

Recalls work in local industry and the West End of Leicester. Describes working in the hosiery industry and transferring into engineering in 1939. Gives detail of her job on a capstan lathe, shifts and pay. Talks about trade union membership and...

Describes her work at British United from 1938, first as a comptometer operator in the accounts and records department. Describes becoming an inspector on the factory floor during the Second World War, then becoming a welfare officer, and details...

Recalls work at a hospital in Norfolk as a ward maid before moving to Leicester in domestic service as a nanny, then housekeeper. Describes duties as a housekeeper and how these became more difficult with evacuees being billeted during the Second...

Recalls joining the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve as a schoolboy in Coventry, and wartime service in the RAF. Describes his training as a Hurricane pilot and postings to Manston and France. Recalls Dunkirk evacuation and the battle of Britain....

Recalls her early life in Belgrave, Leicester, and working for BTH during the Second World War. Describes her father's work as a chimney sweep and her mother's work as an untrained midwife. Describes people taking items to pawn. Recalls the Mission...

Former Group Captain recalls introduction to flying and wartime service in the Royal Air Force as a pilot. Describes flying training, air sea rescue work, posting to Bomber Command and flying Whitley planes. Recalls being shot down and subsequent...

Recalls early life living in Andrew's Street, Leicester. Describes mother running shop and the housing conditions. Describes in detail schooling at King Richards school and Narborough Road school, particularly the housewifery classes. Describes...

Recalls education at Ingle Street school in Leicester. Describes work in hosiery factories and shoe factories, also time spent unemployed in 1930s. Describes cycling holidays and holidays at Butlin's holiday camp in Skegness and Ramsgate. Talks...